Tarocco di Garbarino by Mauro Garbarino

Yet another interesting deck I've got out of the Hans Wesseling-Collection, and this on many accounts what to think about a deck made by an Italian artist with fresh titles on the cards printed in (probably) 1983 in a limited edition by a now no longer exciting publisher in a limited edition with the quaint run of 831, but with on the cards themselves the name of Jollycards of Genova as publisher (or where they just the printers?) .To top all that it is a modern rendition of the Etteilla Tarot in black and white.


This rarity among deck is populated by strange personages, organic shapes and wild dreamlike compositions  forming a true Art Tarot.

Tarot Collectors Forum 2010 Colloborative Deck

For the third year in a row now some members of the "Tarot Collectors Forum" have created a deck and as different and individual as each member is so, so is each card. Once again, and to the joy  off all who participated, this deck turned out very well. All kinds of techniques where used from photographic over collage, paintings drawing etc..


Besides the unifying  borders and typesetting there was a special element to be incorporated into each creation namely a blue line. Despite some apprehensions of some this was executed in the best possible way without sticking out as a foreign thing.


And as something special the extra card in this deck must be one with the longer names around namely: "The Obsessive Collector & Incidentally Also The Happy Squirrel Card"


See also:

• Tarot Collectors Forum 2011 Colloborative Deck
• Tarot Collectors Forum 2009 Colloborative Deck

Tarot of Frown Strong by Leo

This deep & bizarre deck has earned his followers and fans these last 4 decades, and is still going strong and very much being sought after despite being long OOP, and most important for me has found its way into my collection. It was created by the Swiss esoteric teacher Leo Armin, a healer and guru from the 70's and 80's who had his own group of followers (among who actor Peter Sellers) and also ran a church.

The deck has been printed at (least?) three different times, after some research I’ve reconstructed a printing history

1978: hinged black box edition with green velvet interior (this seems not always to be the case – but I’m not sure of it means there where several print runs or that there where simply different boxes in regard to the interior furnishing). This is the original version that was published by Cobwebs Press (London). It was released to the US in 500 signed copies by U.S Games Inc.   

1986: "white box edition 1"

The edition was printed by the “Regal Print Company” (London) and was probably printed in 1986. This edition wasn’t signed and differs from both the original English version and the US Games version in that the numbers do not have dots on either side and the lettertype is not the same. “Leo” isn’t mentioned here as  world copyright is attributed to “S.B. Armin 1986”.

1991: "white box edition 2" 

French version copyright 1991 by R.Armin. The text an edited and expanded version of the original LWB, there are also quite a few differences in the images also. The French version also has slightly smaller cards then the original English one, but with a much better print quality.

Le Tarot des Grands Peintres by Jacques Breyer

This deck is also known as "l'Arbre du Thot" and under the English title of ""Fine Art Tarot"" was published in 1979 by the artist in 2 different formats the large one being 8.75 in x 4.5 in, (22 cm x  11cm), this is the one I posses,  and 4.25 in x 2.25 in (11 cm x 5,5 cm) and sold in a nice wooden box, and to make the whole even more special the edges where gilded, there was also a version of this deck distributed by US Games Inc. in 1981 for the USA.

The creator started his work linking the 22 majors to great works of art in the spring of 1979, (and a great season that is to let things grow organically isn't it?), using sections of these pieces of classical art, well known paintings by famous artists (for ex. Botticelli , Bosh, Rubens and many more), illuminations from manuscripts and colored engravings he created a nicely balanced yet eclectic deck that portrays the creative genius from past era's linked to the tarot archetypes. He also gave every card a motto fitting each card's personality and actions..

Arica Tarot by Oscar Ichazo

As Egyptian themed decks go this 79-cards deck is probably one of the if not the biggest around, each card is sized 11 inches by 8.5. (278mm by  142).

The deck subtitled Coloring Cards for the Game of the Scarab has 2 dates on in 1978 & 1982 and was published in New York  by the Arica Institute Press as a learning tool with color instructions for each detail put in the detachable borders.

My Tarot by Astrid Pilegaard Larsen & Frank K Jensen

Granted the title of this deck isn't the most original possible (there must been at leas a dozen decks by that name), but it becomes interesting especially from a collectors point of view when you know it's connected to  Frank K Jensen who published between 1989-1997 Manteia still one of the most important sources for decks published in that era, and also grand collector of decks.

This majors only deck was self-published in 1978 in a limited edition of only 200 decks with lots of blank space on the bottom part for students to add their notes and the possibility to color the deck. The images themselves where based upon Court de Gebelin and the notes in his work "Le Monde Primatif".

You can also see it at the Tarot Garden

Satanic Tarot by Juha Vuorma & Faustus Scorpius

One of the subsections in my collection are dark decks and what could be more dark than a satanic deck  (from a conventional view - no offence meant to satanists) and this New-Zealand one has been on my wishlist for quite a while.

Low-budget printed with black ink on red paper it's the adaptation from the satanist point of view, like the renaming of the Emperor into The Anti-Christ but largely following the normal tarot structures. The deck, that is a majors only, resulted and reflects the path-working of Faustus Scorpius, and given form by Finnish artist Juha Vuorma and is accompanied by a 20 page booklet with information about the cards and for each a description of the 'astral journeys' from where the images came from and also  a  satanic spread .

El Autentico Tarot De Dr Gerard Encause (Papus) (1865 - 1916)

A long title for a deck I know very little of, I would even say nothing sadly, but it was at a nice price and i already had a big lot in my bag so how could I resist. The Papus "format" is one rarely used nowadays so every one I see draws my attention.

The deck itself is a black and white rendition in Spanish (judging from the printing quality and materials used I'd say South American rather than from Spain) of the Papus tarot drawn by Jean-Gabriel Gouliat from Papus’ 1909 work Le Tarot Divinatoire.

Le Tarot Traditionnel by Jean Chaboseau

Yet another treasure from another era- created & printing during or just after WWII, this deck does show a certain agelessness, it could have been printed recently or over 100 years ago. It is a well balanced mix of age-old artistry and a style non limited or limited to fading fashions.

The majors are different than the WCS and Marseille decks and show an elegant yet powerful view of the archetypes, due to it's bi-tonal coloring namely deep reds on a yellow (originally white?) background. The minors seem to follow the design from Eudes Picard executed in a flowing & elegant design showing the craftsmanship of the artist..

 

Below you can find a picture of the original box it came in - a bit damaged but knowing its age still a pretty good  condition

 

Minotarot by Eric Provoost.

This is yet another piece I’ve obtained from the Hans Wesseling-Collection (see A.E. Thierens Tarot , Tarot de Marseille by Gilles and Anne Hipeau, Gli Arcani di Elisabetta (color) & Annabella Magie Noire Tarot). 

Self published in 1982 this remarkable deck using only a minimal pallet of black, white and a something between deep red and brown. One of the peculiarities is that it has 2 numberings showing 2 possible sequences, there is the normal one (in roman numerals through all the majors and minors in Arabic all in traditional order – but with the suits being spades, hearts, clubs & diamonds), and then there is the numbering devised by the artist so you can lay out the cards in a panorama telling the story of Theseus and the Minotaur.

The Minotarot was published in a limited edition of 2000 and has achieved to gain a status as being very collectible and sought after so if you happen to stumble upon one (at a good price) snatch it up immediately because if you don’t there are lots who will!

I’m back!

After an interruption of more than a week, due to me moving homes, I’m back online and back onto blogging, I hope to be a bit more regular and catch up some of the time I’ve lost lately. First I will continue to add the decks I’ve bought out of the Hans Wesseling-Collection, followed by new acquisitions (and there are quite a few)

So here I am again, take a seat and (I hope) enjoy my new postings!

Stefan.

A.E. Thierens Tarot

This one is one of the oldest esoteric tarots in my collection, printed in the 1930ies (I have no precise date but I presume it would have been printed around the same period as A.E. Thierens book  now in English as 'General Book of the Tarot' was printed)


Despite his age this tarot has many modern elements and also one of the first to attribute different people to each of the minor arcana's for example the cups are represented by mermaids and the swords by dwarfs. Thierens who was a  Dutch officer in the Royal Marines, an astrologer (he is seen as the founder of the modern astrology in the Netherlands) and esoteric author  redesigned the associations of the cards in a way different to Waite (of whom he seems to have picked up some info) and of the Order of the Golden Dawn, yet some of his influences are said to been the Theosophical movement.
One example of the changes he made in the majors is that he assigned the zodiac signs to the first twelve and planets to the remaining ten.

Tarot de Marseille by Gilles & Anne Hipeau

Yet another part of the lot I bought. For those following my blog, it will be clear I love the Tarot de Marseilles-familly, so obviously I had hat to get those out of the lot availlable.

This elegantly drawn black and white rendition of the TdM was created and published the artisanal way on thick uncoated papers and in limited editions in the 80ies by the then prolific Gilles & Anne Hipeau who created  4 different decks (as far as I know) - all based upon historic French decks. This one is based upon the Conver and the Fautrier decks available in the collection of the Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris, and was intended to be coloured by the owner .

Gli Arcani di Elisabetta (handcolored) by Elisabetta Cassari

This is another rare deck I got out of the collection i mentioned last time, the Gli Arcani di Elisabetta is the third tarot by Elisabetta Cassari and is limited to 99 decks only but halfway through the artist stopped coloring them which is very understandable hand-painting 99 x 22 cards is a huge task for any person - and knowing the low price these where going (only € 130 according to the information I got, at that same time the black and white version was sold at € 50) not that rewarding.

This deck and all deck by miss Cassari dare to depict the human condition is all it's painful and negative sides possible - no compromise no bright side to be found here. Man is worst danger possible to his fellow man, the powerful use that power to grind and torture those under them down into total submission at their only whim. These are truly the dark ages depicted here, but done in such a stile one can only admire the artists craftsmanship.
This whole set stands out as a special luxury product, the sturdy nice sized cards are housed in a cardboard box this is in his turn placed in a cork made box with vinyl top and printed on with gold the frontispiece. 

Annabella Magie Noire Tarot (Dutch version) by Giancarlo Carloni

I was recently lucky enough to be able to buy some decks from a collection being sold off, so my collection got enriched with some new and interesting treasures.

This deck was commissioned by Lancôme (a luxury beauty brand owned by L’Oreal since 1964) to promote its perfume “Magie Noire”. The cards were presented and described in the May 1979 issue of the Italian magazine Annabella. But knowing this is a promotional item, it’s normal, yet not obvious to find always, to see it appear in other languages as here in Dutch.

The artist who created this deck Giancarlo Carloni did a wonderful job combining the archetypes of the tarot with the world of refinement and luxury as represented by Lancôme these cards breathe that atmosphere that would be fitting to any grand mansion or 5 star hotels from the seventies. 

Picture Postcard Tarot by Marcia McCord

For those into tarot tarot comes through other areas of their lives. A prime example is the creator of this deck, reader and all-round tarot lover Marcia McCord created this deck out of her passion for antique picture postcards and dedicated to her mother who ran an antique shop and died in 1983, the last conversations miss McCord had with her mother was about antique picture postcards.

From the LWB we learn that picture postcards were approved by the US Post Office Department in 1898. Same day delivery allowed friends to keep up with the evenings entertainment, as well as personal news. The images used in this deck come from the period 1900 to 1909 to for an eclectic mix ranging from the sweet to the comical and all possible variations, with depictions of persons of all walks of lives and origins to the personal taste of the creator and each time to make a great fit between the image and the meaning of each card.

This 79 cards tarot (78 + happy squirrel card) was published in a limited edition of only 50 decks and is sadly sold out now

Tarot Iniciatico of Alma Ajo

Miss Alma Ajo produced a nice little treasure here, well actually 2 as she sells them in two versions "as they came from the printer" and one version where she hand colored with added glitter and heightened color version (this hand made precede makes each deck of this version slightly different and individual).
I of course got this deck in both versions and am very happy i did - not only are these very limited, of both versions there are only 20 decks, but the differences and feels between both make it well worth getting them.

The style could be described as surreal with a sense of humor and a vibrant sense of life shining through, at only 3,2 x 4,8 inches they are 22 little tarot portraits.
The artists website is here
I posted images from both the "normal" edition here top as the hand colored (bottom) 

Nybor tarot by Nybor (aka James Robin Odbert)

There are many erotic tarot decks, most of them are a 'spiced-up' version of the Waite-Colman-deck not so this one. After his first encounter with the tarot, while creating  a card for the "Fantasy Showcase Tarot" this artist got inspired and researched & worked over thirty years on his own deck, trying it bring up-to-date to our modern world and sensitivities.

The majors are still all there but renamed and put into 5 groups: Beginning & End, the seasons, 6 "realms" cards and 7 family cards, all with updated.Sexuality is  the central theme ranging from soft to over and beyond the legal and ethical, because as Nybor says not everything is good and beautiful, but there is more also  - there are also elements from mythology, psychological insights, pagan & ritual practices and much more.
  
This limited edition of 500 doesn't come cheap but for those looking for erotic deck and for something very special could be interested by it.
For those interested you can see the deck,get information and/or buy it at the artist's  homepage

Millénaire Tarot de Marseilles (Second edition) by Chris Butler

Here's yet another little precious one to add to the neo-Marseille* part of my collection!

This version, as did the previous one, was created from only photoshop custom shapes and clipart to form a modern, and tongue-in cheek Marseilles deck. Stylistically size- and colorwise Chris took inspiration from the Flornoy restoration of the Noblet Tarot but that is where it started but it ended up becomming a very modern vibrant even with a certain pro-active feeling to them, especially in the minors and it's workable deck for readings and a great item for the collector.

For those on FaceBook here is the page for this deck

and you can contact Christ through here

Amy Von Harrington's Homemade Tarot Cards

Fun things can come in little pouches sometimes, like this deck that doesn't take itself too serious, you can almost feel the jolliness that had to be going on while creating it.

The images are collage old stile it seems (being paper, scissor and glue method) to form images ranging from chaotic to playful and comical. Some of the cards are landscape others in upright directions (others i'm not sure what's up- down, or any-other-way) some images are filling the cards entirely some leave some border - the deck as a whole ranges from sweet over playful to a bit chaotic but somehow that adds to it's charm.

For those interested they are sold here and here  is an interview with miss Von Harrington
(o and yes they accept paypal)